Automatic locking device



July 12, 1949. w Sm 2,475,726

AUTOMA TIC LOCKING DEVICE Filed Feb. 28 1946 L JL IN VEN TOR. WM 727? .1 5M

Patented July 12, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an automatic locking device of a character that may be locked out of operation and manually conditioned for automatic locking of a closure under spring pressure upon the closure being moved to closed position.

One application of the invention, and as here in disclosed, has to do with the self-locking of a burial casket, there being provided a series of automatic locking devices along both the hinged and opening side, such as will automatically and permanently lock the lid in closed position for burial, and wherein the devices are contained and concealed within the casket.

One feature of the invention resides in the latching of the lock under tension in its unlocked position in a manner to cause it to become unlatched and automatically move into locking position through a cammin action resulting from the movement of the closure to closed position.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a manually movable withholding pin,

such as to prevent the automatic locking of the device when in position, but removable for permitting of the locking action.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a temporary locking pin, such as may be manually placeable and removable for temporarily locking the closure until such time as it is desired to have it automatically and permanently locked in closed position.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and. th following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a burial casket indicating the relative location of a locking device thereon. i

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one of the locking devices.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the locking device in inoperative position with the closure swung open. I

Fig. 4 is the same as Fig. 3, showing the locking device in its automatic locking position upon the :losure being moved to closed position.

In. the drawings there is illustrated a casket ncluding an upright wall I forming the body portion thereof, and ahinged lid or closure l I. Said :losure II, as shown herein, includes a panel 12 and a sheet metal casing I3 hinged to the upright Wall Ill by a hinge M. The casing I3 is formed with a transverse locking plate provided with a. slot forming a keeper shown at I6.

Secured to the wall In of the interionsurface :hereof there are oneor more tubular-latching :rackets I! for housing a tension spring 18. Said spring is anchored at its lower end to a pin is in the bracket and at its opposite end to the lower extreme end of a locking belt 251. Said locking bolt is formed with a latching shoulder ti on one side thereof for latching engagement with the upper end of the bracket ll, as shown in Fig. 3. In this position the locking bolt is latched out of locking position against the tension of the spring l8. Above the latching shoulder, intermediate the ends of the bolt, there is a pair of outwardly extending portions, such as to provide safety shoulders 22. Said safety shoulders are adapted to engage the top of the bracket l? to limit the inward movement of the bolt therein under tension of the spring IS.

The upper head portion of the bolt is formed with an overhanging locking lip 23 extending laterally on one side thereof, and a camming surface 24 extending angularly alon the upper portion of the opposite side thereof. Said bolt is supported by the bracket ll under tension of the spring in position to extend through the slot in the locking plate for movement into locking en gagement with the keeper at IS.

The upper portion of the wall it is flared outwardly at 25 to receive the hinge It. Mounted longitudinally of the outwardly flared portion thereof there is a cross bar 25. Provision is made between the upper surfaces of the cross bar 26 and the locking plate of the closure for a sealing strip 27 such as to provide an air and. water tight seal between the wall and the closure. The cross bar 26 is slotted at 23 to permit the bolt to pass therethrough and upwardly therefrom with a gooseneck formation, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Adjacent the top of the cross bar opposite the bolt there is provision for slidably receiving a removable withholding pin 29 which may be inserted therein to extend through an aperture 3b in the cross bar When said pin is in place, bolt is withheld from operative action or movement into locking position. Similarly slidable through a looped plate 3! secured to the interior upper surface of the locking plate it, there is a camming element in the form of a removable pin 32. The head or upper end of the bolt is aper tured at 33 to receive the camming pin 31 when in place. Said camining pin serves a dual purpose of locking the closure through engagement with the bolt when the bolt is in its inoperative position shown in Fig. 3. In this position the pin is extending throughthe aperture 3.; in said bolt. Also,in another operation said camming pin 32 operates to engage the camming surface 24 of the boltin a manner to swing it free of its latched inoperative position shown in Fig. 3, to its automatic locking position, as shown in Fig. 4.

In operation, when it is desired to readily remove or open the closure, the withholding pin 29 is in place to retain the bolt in its unlatched position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When it is desired to temporarily lock the closure in its closed position, the camming pin 32 is inserted through the loopedplate 3| andthrough the aperture 33 in the bolt, as: shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to automatically and permanently lock the closure in its closed position, the with holding pin 29 is removed, and with the lid in its open position free of the bolt, the camming. pin 32 is inserted through looped plate 3|. Since movement of the bolt is unguarded by the withholding pin 29 upon the closure b'eingitlrren-moved to closed position, the camming pin 32 is pressed against the camming surface 24 of the bolt, such as to cam it to one side and thereby cause it to become unlatched. The latching shoulder Zil be ing thus moved free from engagement with the upper end of the housing H the spring to will snap the bolt downwardly in ar-n'anner to throw the locking lip 2-3 laterally into Iockirig engagement with the keeper E of the latching plate Thereupon the closure: will be autoinatic'all y and permanentl locked in closed position without access to the bolt for opening it.

The invention claimed is:

1:. An automatic locking device comprising a latching bracket, a locking bolt slid-able longitudinally thereof relative tosaid bracket; a latch ing shoulder on said bolt engageable with said bracket to retain said bolt inoperative posi tion, a spring operatively connecting one end of said bolt with said bracket tending to draw said bolt into locking position under spring tensionrestrained: by said latching shoulder when on gaged with said bracket, a locking, plate on the closure to be locked, ahead on the other end or said bolt having a lockinglip ca mmi-ng' surface, and means provided on said locking plate engageable with the cammi-ng suI-"fiace ofv saidbolt for camming said bolt out of its latching engagement with said bracket intoposition for its lockinglip to engage said locking plate to thereby lock said closure under tension of said spring;

2; An automatic locking device for a structure having a closure therefor; said closure navingf a slotted lockingplate', a bracket mounted'on said structure, a locking bolt having adiacentone-end thereof a latching shoulder engageabie said bracket, a tension spring connecting said end of the bolt with said bracket for retaining said bolt in its inoperative latched position thereon, said bolt" having a head portion atthe opposite end thereof formed" with a locking lip and camm-ing surface to extend through a slot'in'said' plate, and means on said plate for engaging the cam-ming' shoulder of said: bolt upon said. closure being moved to closed position for camming said bolt free of. latching engagement with said bracket and into position for its locking: lip: to: engage and lock saidrplat'e under'tensioni of said spring;

3: An automatic locking device for a structurehaving a. closure theretor', said closure having a slotted locking plate, abra-cketm'ounted on said structure; a locking: bolt having adjacent. one end thereofra: latching shoulder engageabl e with said bracket, a tension spring: connecting said endof' the bolt with. said bracket-for retaining said bolt in. its inoperative latched poslti'ont thereon, saidibolt having a headsporltion at the opposite end. thereon: formed with: a lock-ing' 11p and cammmg surface to extend through a slot in said plate, and a removable camming pin carried by said plate movable thereon into position for engagement with said camming surface to cam said bolt laterally from inoperative position to locking position with said plate, said movement releasing the latching shoulder from said bracket and causing said locking lip to engage and lock with said plate under tension of said spring.

4. An; automatic locking device for a structure having a closure therefor, said closure having a slotted locking plate, a bracket mounted on said structure, a locking bolt having adjacent one end thereon a. latching shoulder engageable with said bracket, a tension spring connecting said end of the bolt with said bracket for retaining said bolt inits: inoperative latched position thereon, said bolt having a head portion at the opposite end thereof formed with a locking lip and camming surface to extend through a slot in said plate, means: on said plate for engaging the c'amniing surface of said bolt' upon saidclosurebeing moved to closedv position for camm'ing said bolt free or latching engagement with said bracket and into:

position for its locking lip to engage and lock with said plate under tension of said spring,v arida removable withholding pin in said structure for retaining said bolt in shoulder latchingposition against camming movement upon said closure being movedv to closed. position.

5. An. automatic locking device for astructurehaving a closure therefor, said closure having a locking plate thereon, a bracket on said structure a locking bolt movably associated with said bracket',.a spring connected with one end of'said bolt, a. locking head at the other endofsaid bolt,- having av locking lip on one side there'oi and a.- camming surface onthe opposite side, a latching shoulder on. said bolt intermediate the endsthereof for engagement with said bracket't'ohold saidbolt' out oflocking position against the ten-- si-on of. said: spring, the head of said bolt being provided with an aperture therein, and a carnining pin removably carriedl oz saidplate to ex tend through said aperture for releasablylocking said closure in closed position, saidpin being removable from the aperture of said bolt and re placeable: on said plate when said closure is in: op ert. position for engagement with the cai'rimingsurface of said bolt upon said closure being moved to closed position for movingsaid: bolt relative to said; bracket and plate to releaselatching shoulder from said bracket and? cause" its locking lip to lock with said plate under tension of said spring,

6. An automatic locking device for a structure having a closur therefor, said closure having" a plate thereon, a bracket on said structure, a lock lug-bolt movably associated with said bracket, 2. spring connectedwith one end of said bolt, a locking head at the other end of said bolt havi g' a locking lip on one side thereof and a cam g; surface: on the opposite side, a latching shoulder" on said bolt intermediate the ends thereof for engagement said bracket to hold said bolt outzoflockin gpositionagainst the tensionof said spring, the: head: of said l mitbeing provided with anaperture therein, and a; camming pin rememab'ly carried by said plate to exte'r'ni through said aperture for releasably locking said closure in closed position, said pin being removable from the aperture of said bolt and replaceable on said plate when saln cl'osure is in open position for engagement with the camming surface of botoupen said dosimeter-1g moved to closed 5 position to thereby release its latching shoulder from said bracket and cause its locking lip to lock with said plate under tension of said spring.

WALTER J. SIX.

REFERENCES CITED The following referemlees are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Erickson Nov. 23, 1909 Smith Feb. 22, 1921 Reodding T Sept. 30, 1930 Bruhaker Sept. 23, 1941 

